Prop: Live – Q&A with Billythebrick Cosplay – 1/26/2017

Billythebrick Cosplay joins us with his cool Voltron props and other projects on this week’s prop live Q&A! Bill and Will answer questions about form-fitting armor, visors, cheap head forms, latex chunks, websites, 3D printed swords, simulating old metal, compromising on cartoon image references, and more!

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Questions from the Show:

SpontaneouslyFruityWhat would be your guy’s material recommendation for thin, very form fitted armor? In particular for this character (Serath from Paragon). I am new to making armor, so any tips will be appreciated as I will also be trying to make her markings light up with LED’s.

StapleCropRiceRecently I’ve gone on an adventure of making giant robot helmets. My next one needs a tinted visor but I don’t have a vacuform machine. Any tips on how I can make it or what I can use to substitute for the plastic?

Random_sixthgrader_without_moneyHow I would go about making a custom helmet without a head cast if I was on a budget?

Oni 117I’ve been trying out latex rubber to seal my foam armor pieces but I still end up with tiny chunks in them that make it thru the critter gun even after straining it through screen mesh. Do you have any tips on filtering out those pieces? I’ve found micron paint strainers but even watered down with a 50/50 mix but it’s still too thick to strain past anything finer than screen mesh.

Dread from subatomic workshopHey Bill, I saw that your website is made with wordpress. Would you recommend wordpress?

Builder AnnI am planning to 3d print a big prop sword from world of warcraft, Quel’Serrar. How would you handle printing a large scale prop? Also, I plan to have a lot of battle damage. Should I model that into the sword before printing or do it afterwards?

DeathbrightWhat’s the best way to change lights from battery powered to usb powered?

HeyPatchI have some liquid latex, it’s plain and dries a kinda light brown. I want to use it to seal and paint some LARP style props. What kind of paint should I use to colour it and do you have any tips for painting with latex?

Tekton propsI have a question about how to get just the right metallic finish with paint. I have just used silver spray paint for most things, but it doesn’t work as well when i want the stuff i’m making to look less like modern metal and more like old fantasy iron. How can i achieve this?

DaggerElkPsssttt…. so…. what’s going on at CONstruct? I couldn’t make it last year and want to know what’s up.

ZachHow do you cut beveled edges using your scroll saw? Or should I just use my bandsaw?

KellyAny Mass Effect Andromeda props in the planning stages?

Twint43I am making a wooden sword prop and was wondering what type of resin would you suggest for the handle?

Tranotaku4649When breaking up a sword for printing, how do you put them together in a way that is structurally sound?

ZachI’m making the goblets from “Princess Bride” and I’m wanting to cast them using pewter. Using the Lee bullet melting pot do you think I could make something that big? PS: I’m 3d printing the model

J ColleyQuestion 1: Where is a good place to start to researching a 3d printer?Question 2: Will, How do you get around the irregularities when designing a costume from image stills? Like with your Star Wars Guy?